Hot picnic spots

There's no better way to celebrate a spot of sunshine than packing a picnic and chilling out with family and friends – especially when your picnic spot is magically beautiful.

Fancy picnicking in a historic park? On an island? Or in the grounds of an atmospheric abbey or castle ruin? Here’s our pick of the top 10 idyllic picnic hot spots that are ideal for celebrating summer in style:

Brownsea Island, Dorset

Take a boat to Brownsea Island, an old haunt of smugglers but now a nature reserve. Watch red squirrels, deer, and seabirds nose-diving into the sea, see spectacular views of Old Harry Rocks and the Purbeck Hills.

© Sue Sieger

Try out the new cliff top walk or the Smugglers’ Trail to the treasure chest on this car-free island where you can take your picnic anywhere.

Corfe Castle, Dorset

Have a ‘Famous Five’ picnic at Corfe Castle, Enid Blyton’s inspiration for Kirren Castle.

© National Trust

Take a hamper and rug and find a grassy spot in the outer bailey or west bailey within the Castle.

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire

Soak up the atmosphere in this Georgian water garden at Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire, with its lakes, cascades and temples.

© NTPL / Andrew Butler

Spread a rug beneath the gothic arches and spectacular ruins of this Cistercian abbey and watermill.

Gibside, Newcastle upon Tyne

Families can picnic in this ‘forest garden’ with its many miles of walks through woodland and beside the River Derwent. There are streams to paddle in, woods to explore and open spaces to run around or play a game of footie in.

© NTPL / Nick Meers

The estate is a Site of Special Scientific Interest – look out for red squirrels, kingfishers, rabbits and other wildlife.

Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire

If it’s exercise and relaxation you’re after, there are plenty of walks to choose from, short and long, in the Park at Kedleston Hall.

© NTPL / Andrew Haslam

Take a walk round the lakeside or a wilderness and woodland walk before settling down to a classic British picnic in a classic British setting, beside the bridge, Fishing Pavilion or lakes and cascades.

Lyme Park, Cheshire

Lyme, which played a starring role as Jane Austen’s ‘Pemberley’ in the BBC’s adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, is a breathtaking setting for a picnic.

© NTPL / Matthew Antrobus

There is plenty of room to choose a spot in the 1,400 acre park, which contains an early 18th-century hunting tower called The Cage.

Petworth, West Sussex

Picnic at Petworth Park’s beautifully restored 18th-century Capability Brown inspired ‘Pleasure Grounds’.

© NTPL / Rupert Truman

Take a gentle stroll round this 30 acre wooded garden to the Doric Temple and Ionic Rotunda along gently undulating paths then sit and picnic al fresco and enjoy the views.

Stourhead, Wiltshire

© NTPL / Ian Shaw

The chances are you can place your picnic rug in a secluded spot in 100 acres of landscaped gardens, by the lake or in front of temples.

Stowe Landscape Gardens, Buckinghamshire

Stowe is the perfect setting for a family picnic. Picnic in a Grecian Valley full of wild flowers, or by the Temple of Venus overlooking the lake, and drink in the panoramic views.

© National Trust

Kids will love to play in its wide open spaces and magical corners, even parents can find rare moments of peace and tranquillity here.

Wallington, Northumberland

Picnic on a selection of lawns at Wallington, including a central lawn in the courtyard where children can let off steam. Or, place your rug near the stone griffin heads which look like something out of Harry Potter!

© NTPL / Matthew Antrobus

For a more secluded spot, walk through the formal gardens to the bottom of the walled garden and choose a grassy area near the pond, under the shelter of trees.

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